Shasta County Attorney Plays David to Big Corporations’ Goliath

Russell Reiner is a pioneer in California product liability and personal injury law, having successfully represented clients in notable cases that have resulted in safer products and enhanced safety standards.

Proven Experience

“The 1984 case of a fatal Jeep rollover accident started it all,” says Reiner, Founding Partner of Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, LLP. “I proved in court that the manufacturer knew of defects in the vehicle’s design. The resulting $3.9 million verdict was the largest product liability verdict in the country at the time against AMC/Jeep Corporation.” Since then, the firm has represented thousands of clients in actions against leading insurers, car companies, and other powerful corporations.

Reiner also represented 345 individuals who had undergone unnecessary heart bypass and valve surgeries—“a case shocking in its scope.” The medical center’s parent company, Tenet, settled for $395 million. The 2004 settlement remains one of the largest in California history. In 2017 Reiner represented a young man with a severe brain injury, and the jury awarded $56.5 million, the largest verdict ever in California against Cal Trans.

Safety Matters

“In 2012 my firm partner, Todd Slaughter, and I launched the Safety Matters program to give back to our community,” Reiner explains. The program focuses on reducing injuries— especially childhood injuries—and has given away thousands
of automobile booster seats, biking and skateboarding helmets, and life vests. They have also sponsored several anti-texting campaigns aimed at teen drivers.

“We’ve seen a lot of accidents over the years,” Reiner concludes. “We are attempting to prevent as many injuries as we can with a special emphasis to prevent child injuries.”